Program Description

This associate’s degree in nursing bridge program prepares students who are already licensed practical nurses to take the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX). Students are provided a foundation of general education, including courses in the natural sciences, the social sciences, and mathematics, as well as the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to work in a healthcare environment. Theoretical instruction is complemented with clinical experience in a variety of healthcare settings in order to provide a broad, holistic, and reality-based understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a professional nurse. Students will participate in planned clinical and laboratory experiences that will complement classroom learning and stress health prevention and promotion as well as disease processes. Students must have an active/unrestricted LPN license.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:

Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Provide accurate patient assessments.

Provide appropriate health care interventions as a member of a treatment team.

Function as a beginning-level staff nurse in a variety of healthcare facilities to include hospitals, long-term care agencies, physician’s offices, clinics, outpatient surgical facilities, and other community organizations.

Function as a safe practitioner and, through critical thinking and communication skills, act as a patient advocate and educator, including the family and community in the total care.

Demonstrate a full understanding and practice of accepted ethical and legal standards.

Exhibit leadership qualities in diverse healthcare settings.

Understand the unique needs of diverse populations in regard to socioeconomic, cultural, and lifespan issues.

Promote health and wellness in order to facilitate positive growth and development.

Think critically, both conceptually and by using mathematical analysis, write and speak effectively, use basic computer applications, and understand human behavior in the context of the greater society.

Special Admission Requirements

Please refer to the “Undergraduate Nursing Admission Requirements” policy in the Admissions Information section of this catalog for nursing program admission requirements.

In addition, prospective students must have completed the following general education courses for college credit at an accredited college or university to be admitted into the program:

4.00 Semester Credit Hours in Anatomy and Physiology With Lab

3.00 Semester Credit Hours in English Composition

3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics (College Algebra or Above)

3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Speech

3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social Behavior (Psychology)

All applicants will be required to provide official college transcripts verifying completion of the above courses with a passing grade of “C” (70%) or higher. There is no set time limit pertaining to when the prerequisite courses were completed.

All other general education courses must be passed with a grade of D (60%) or better to be continued in the nursing program.

A student who is dropped from the nursing program for failing to achieve the minimum grade specified in the general education courses but who otherwise meets the academic standards of the University may transfer to another Herzing degree program and/or may reapply to the nursing program in a future cycle.

Potential Occupational Titles

Potential occupational titles for this program include, but are not limited to, registered nurse.

General Education Required Courses

Students enrolled in this nursing bridge associate’s program must complete a minimum of 6.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines in addition to the 16.00 credit hours required prior to admission. Refer to the General Education section of the catalog for Herzing University courses that would satisfy these requirements. *

* Transfer students may transfer courses that are within 1.00 semester credit hour of the courses listed above to meet these discipline requirements. Any resulting deficiency in the total of 22.00 semester credit hours required in general education may be made up with general education electives from any of the listed disciplines.

All other general education courses must be passed with a grade of D (60%) or better to continue in the nursing program.

A student who is dropped from the nursing program for failing to achieve the minimum grade specified in the general education courses but who otherwise meets the academic standards of the University may transfer to another Herzing degree program and/or may reapply to the nursing program in a future cycle.